Prime 10 Patrick Simmons Doobie Brothers Songs

Top 10 Patrick Simmons Doobie Brothers Songs

Characteristic Photograph: Anne Jacko from Portland, Oregon, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 , through Wikimedia Commons

Patrick Simmons is the one member of the Doobie Brothers to seem on each launch within the group’s catalog, and that physique of labor spans from The Doobie Brothers in 1971 by Liberté in 2021. Throughout these years, the band launched fourteen studio albums listed in his discography, and Simmons helped form most of the songs that outlined their sound. Among the many finest recognized are “South Metropolis Midnight Woman,” “Dependin’ On You,” “Echoes of Love,” “Wheels of Fortune,” and “Black Water,” the tune that turned the group’s first primary report. The Doobie Brothers additionally bought greater than 40 million albums worldwide, a determine that speaks to the attain of a band Simmons helped construct from the bottom up.

The business peak of that period got here with Minute by Minute in 1978. The album reached primary for 5 weeks and earned the Doobie Brothers a Grammy for Greatest Pop Vocal Efficiency by a Duo or Group. The only “What a Idiot Believes” from the identical album received three Grammys of its personal, including to the popularity surrounding one of the profitable durations within the band’s historical past. Simmons remained central to the story even when the group fractured.

The Doobie Brothers disbanded in 1982 after his choice to go away, by that time because the final authentic member nonetheless within the lineup. When the band re-formed in 1987, Simmons returned, and as of 2024 he and Tom Johnston have been nonetheless main the group on the highway. His stature inside the band’s legacy was later strengthened by induction into the Vocal Group Corridor of Fame in 2004 and the Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame in 2020 as a member of the Doobie Brothers. In June 2025, Simmons, Johnston, and Michael McDonald have been additionally inducted into the Songwriters Corridor of Fame as members of the band.

Away from the Doobie Brothers, Simmons additionally carved out a solo profession. He launched his first solo album, Arcade, in 1983 on Elektra Data, and adopted it with Take Me to the Freeway in 1995. Arcade reached quantity 52 on the USA chart, and it produced his solely high 40 solo hit, “So Incorrect,” which climbed to quantity 30 on the Billboard Sizzling 100. The identical single additionally carried out strongly on the USA dance and disco chart, reaching quantity eight, whereas “Don’t Make Me Do It” later peaked at quantity 75. Throughout that interval he additionally shaped the band Pores and skin Swimsuit.

Simmons is so beloved on this enterprise as a result of his profession has by no means trusted one section, one lineup, or one business window. He wrote and sang main songs inside a band that advanced dramatically over the a long time, stayed energetic by reunions and altering personnel, and remained the one musician tied to each chapter of the Doobie Brothers’ recorded historical past. That form of continuity issues, particularly in a band whose sound moved by rock, pop, and R&B influences over time. He additionally prolonged that legacy onto the web page in 2022, when he and Tom Johnston co-wrote Lengthy Practice Runnin’: Our Story of The Doobie Brothers, including an creator’s credit score to a profession already crammed with songwriting, recording, and touring achievements.

His life exterior music has been particular and substantial, not a obscure assortment of superstar causes. In 1981, Simmons opened a classic motorbike store with creator William J. Craddock. He and his spouse, Cristine Sommer, whom he met in 1989 on the Sturgis Motorbike Rally in South Dakota, are each avid cyclists and members of the Vintage Motorbike Membership of America. Their enthusiasm for that world went far past pastime standing, since they took half within the 2014 Motorbike Cannonball Endurance Journey and in addition rode within the 2016 Motorbike Cannonball, touring from Atlantic Metropolis, New Jersey, to San Diego, California.

# 10 – Harmful

To me, this tune nonetheless seems like a comparatively new Doobie Brothers tune, although it was launched over 35 years in the past. Time goes quick. “Harmful” was written by Patrick Simmons and launched on April 15, 1991, as a single from the Doobie Brothers’ album Brotherhood. The tune was recorded in 1991 and produced by Rodney Mills. That includes Simmons on lead vocals, the observe facilities on a bike rider embracing danger and freedom on the open highway, together with a reference to Harley Davidson. The tune additionally appeared on the soundtrack to the 1991 movie Stone Chilly.

# 9 – Evil Lady

That is one other a type of traditional Doobie Brothers deep cuts. The tune first appeared on the legendary Doobie Brothers album The Captain And Me. The opening guitar riff rocks the roof of the home. There have been a whole lot of rock songs written with the title “Evil Lady,” however this is likely one of the finest.

# 8 – Slippery St. Paul

This one all the time jogged my memory slightly of “Black Water.” After all, this one got here first, because it was launched on the band’s debut album, The Doobie Brothers. The album was launched in 1971. This was positioned because the second observe within the album. Simply take a hearken to that guitar choosing. If nothing about music and also you hear this tune proper after the Doobie Brothers’ “What a Idiot Believes,” you’ll swear it was two utterly completely different bands.

# 7 – eighth Avenue Shuffle

It’s fairly a leap from the final album to this one when it comes to the band’s sound, however the vocals, guitar sound, and the group are nonetheless the identical. This was all the time one in every of my favourite tracks from The Doobie Brothers’ Takin’ It To The Streets album. That Patrick Simmons’ guitar sound and vocals you can inform from a mile away.

# 6 – I Cheat The Hangman

Effectively, this one was form of darkish. Launched on November 12, 1975, because the third and ultimate single from Stampede, with “Music Man” on the B aspect, the tune was written by Simmons and produced by Ted Templeman. Its story follows a person leaving the gallows, with Simmons connecting the thought to a ghost returning house after the Civil Battle with out realizing he’s useless, an idea that gave the report the texture of an outdated West ghost city. Jeff Baxter described the piece as being performed in three components, and that construction helped form a recording constructed round guitars, piano, vocals, strings, bass, and drums. The only featured vocals by Simmons and Maria Muldaur.

# 5 – Angels & Mercy

It might be arduous to consider, however the Doobie Brothers had not launched a studio album with Michael McDonald on board in over 45 years. In 2025, the band launched Stroll This Street. I used to be utterly blown away by how good this album is. However this album represents is the proper stability between the unique sound of the Doobie Brothers and the Michael McDonald years. The band is enjoying in addition to they ever have, and the vocals are simply killer. Songwriting is as soon as once more top-notch, and the second observe on the album featured this Patrick Simmons tune that can simply knock you rock and roll socks off.

# 4 – Dependin’ On You

In case you look again on the music that Patrick Simmons contributed to the Doobie Brothers, you’ll discover the southern-sounding Simmons that we heard usually throughout the early years, after which, after all, the soulful type that he turned to throughout the Michael McDonald years. Many followers are break up between these two completely different durations, whereas others like myself love each of them. “Dependin’ on You” was launched on July 25, 1979, because the third single from Minute by Minute, backed with “How Do the Fools Survive.” The observe options backing vocals from the late Nicolette Larson and Rosemary Butler, Commercially, the only reached quantity 25 on the Billboard Sizzling 100, quantity 37 on the Grownup Modern chart.

# 3 – Wheels Of Fortune

I keep in mind the primary time I bought his album and threw it on my turntable. I couldn’t consider the sound of the guitars and the way they only form of blew out of my audio system. It’s one of many best-sounding information I’ve ever purchased. It was Michael McDonald’s debut, and the band sounded utterly completely different. But on the opening observe, entrance and middle was the killer voice of Patrick Simmons.

# 2 – South Metropolis Midnight Woman

Each time I’ve composed any form of Doobie Brothers tune record, that is the tune that folks all the time remark about. “South Metropolis Midnight Woman” stands as one of the beloved Doobie Brothers songs of all time. It was initially launched on the album The Captain and Me. The album’s two greatest hits, “Lengthy Practice Runnin’” and “China Grove,” have been so massively profitable that they form of overshadowed the gem “South Metropolis Midnight Woman”. However the true Doobie Brothers followers heard it, and so they beloved it.

# 1 – Black Water

“Black Water” was written by Patrick Simmons and recorded by the Doobie Brothers for his or her 1974 album What Had been As soon as Vices Are Now Habits, with Ted Templeman producing the observe. Recorded in 1973 at Warner Bros. Studios in North Hollywood and Burbank Studios in Burbank, California, the tune options Simmons on acoustic guitars and lead vocals, Tom Johnston on backing vocals, Tiran Porter on bass guitar and backing vocals, Keith Knudsen on backing vocals and dubbed-in drums, John Hartman on drums, Novi Novog on viola, and Arlo Guthrie on autoharp and wind chimes. Simmons developed the fundamental guitar lick throughout classes for The Captain and Me, then accomplished the tune throughout a later keep in New Orleans, drawing on each his early imaginings of the South and his direct experiences within the French Quarter and on the St. Charles Streetcar line.

The report was first issued because the B aspect of “One other Park, One other Sunday,” however sturdy regional airplay, particularly in Virginia, pushed it towards an A aspect launch, and by March 15, 1975, it had grow to be the primary of the Doobie Brothers’ two number-one singles on the Billboard Sizzling 100. It additionally reached quantity 9 in Canada, quantity 22 in Australia, quantity 38 on the Grownup Modern chart, quantity three on the Money Field Prime 100, and completed quantity 15 on the year-end Billboard Sizzling 100 for 1975.

Try related articles on ClassicRockHistory.com Simply click on on any of the hyperlinks under……

10 Most Rocking Doobie Brothers Songs
Full Checklist Of The Doobie Brothers Songs From A to Z
The Doobie Brothers Greatest Tune On Every Studio Album
Full Checklist Of The Doobie Brothers Albums And Songs
Prime 10 Doobie Brothers Albums
Prime 10 Doobie Brothers Songs
Full Checklist Of The Doobie Brothers Band Members
Prime 10 Michael McDonald Doobie Brothers Songs
Prime 10 Tom Johnston Doobie Brothers Songs

Learn Extra: Traditional Rock Bands Checklist And Listing

Classicrockhistory.com claims possession of all its authentic content material and Mental property underneath United States Copyright legal guidelines and people of all different international nations. Nobody particular person, enterprise, or group is allowed to re-publish any of our authentic content material anyplace on the net or in print with out our permission. All pictures used are both public area Artistic Commons pictures or licensed formally from Shutterstock underneath license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photograph credit have been positioned on the finish of the article. Album Cowl Photographs are affiliate hyperlinks and the property of Amazon and are saved on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content material will likely be met with swift authorized motion towards the infringing web sites.

Prime 10 Patrick Simmons Doobie Brothers Songs

How Baton Rouge’s Metallic Works Company Combines Coil Manufacturing, Pipe Bending, and Fabrication for Full Industrial Options

The Impact of AI on Organizational Tradition

The Impact of AI on Organizational Tradition

IntoTunes

Category

Recent News

The Impact of AI on Organizational Tradition